Richard Flake is a principal at Cokinos Bosien & Young where his practice focuses on arbitration and mediation of construction, employment and commercial disputes, construction contract negotiations and drafting as well as commercial real estate transactions. As the former General Counsel of SpawGlass Construction Corp, Rick has significant experience in construction law. Rick's expertise has been recognized by numerous organizations and publications including:

Best Lawyers 2011 Lawyer of the Year for Construction Law - Houston
Named a Texas Monthly Magazine Super Lawyer from 2001-2011
Named in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business in construction law and alternative dispute resolution from 2007 - 2011
"AV" rated by Martindale-Hubbell peer review ratings
Named Arbitrator of the Year by the National Council of Better Business Bureaus for the Southwestern United States

Rick frequently writes and speaks on construction and alternative dispute resolution topics and teaches numerous courses in arbitration across the country for the American Arbitration Association. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Houston teaching undergraduate Construction Law and Ethics.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Arbitrator on $30 million claim involving an industrial processing plant in Nebraska. Allegations included defective design, construction, delays, acceleration and a host of other issues.
Mediator on rework of power generation plant at an out of state University. Settlement involved multiple parties.
Facilitated a mediation/partnering session involving numerous and varied entities on a public transportation project. Processes put in place to enable project to be finished on time and within budget.
Arbitrator on offshore semisubmersible platform involving issues of design and transportation into the Gulf of Mexico and installation at the site.
Represented a pipeline company in drafting form of engineering, procurement and construction contract for multi-state crude oil pipeline project.
Represented general contractor in obtaining final payment from a private project owner. Solvency issues were present, along with complex mechanic's and materialman lien issues.
Mediator in a failed condominium project, ending in the implosion of the structure. Significant geotechnical and engineering issues were contested in addition to insurance coverage disputes.
Represented subcontractor in negotiating master construction agreements with a nationwide chain.

EDUCATION

The University of Houston Law Center - J.D., 1981
The University of Texas at Austin - B.A., 1979 (Phi Beta Kappa)

BAR ADMISSIONS

State Bar of Texas (1982)
United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
United States Supreme Court

MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS

American Arbitration Association: Commercial, Construction, Employment and Consumer Panels
Houston Bar Association: Construction Law Section (Past Chairman), Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (Council Member 2009-2012), Real Estate Section, Labor and Employment Law Section
State Bar of Texas: Construction Law Section (Past Council Member), Real Estate Section, Municipal Judges Section
20 Year member of the College of the State Bar of Texas.

Richard P. Flake

Principal

Houston, Texas
713-535-5513
rflake@cbylaw.com

Publications